Crespin regime biography of christopher

She soon appeared at most of the major opera houses in the United States and Europe and also made a number of appearances in South America. She had a long and fruitful association with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, making over appearances at that house between and Crespin retired from the stage inafter which she taught singing for many years at her alma mater, the Conservatoire de Parisand gave numerous acclaimed master classes at conservatories and universities internationally.

In recognition of Crespin's artistry as a singer, the Marguerite Long—Jacques Thibaud Competition, which had been restricted to pianists and violinists, was expanded in to include singers, and renamed the Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition. Crespin's childhood was not an easy one, being affected both by growing up during World War II and her mother's alcoholism.

However, as her career path was limited by the exam results he finally allowed her to start taking lessons for purely pragmatic reasons. This created a somewhat tenuous relationship between Crespin and her country's musical establishment which extended into the early portion of her career. She accepted and made her debut there in singing Elsa.

There she found her first critical successes, particularly in the roles of the Marschallin in Richard Strauss 's Der Rosenkavalier and Tosca, both sung in French. To learn the role in German, she was coached by Lou Bruder, a professor of German literature who later became her husband.

Crespin regime biography of christopher

She was therefore surprised when she was asked to tackle Kundry. Crespin recalls that when she expressed her surprise to Wieland he dismissed the other roles, saying, "Oh, those dummies, I don't like them. Look, you are not born for that, you have a better job to do. International acclaim: — [ edit ] She appeared as Tosca in Geneva in and in the same year she joined the roster of principal sopranos at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City where she sang every year — with the exception of — through All told Crespin appeared in performances at the Metropolitan Opera during her career, performing with many leading singers of the time.

Poulenc had composed the role of Mme Lidoine for a specific voice type he identified each sister with one well-known role. He wanted the sound associated with Verdi's Desdemona, one of Crespin's favourite roles at the Paris Opera during the s, and made a point of hearing her in the part, reacting decisively, 'That's the soprano I want.

Crespin belongs to the great line of French singing. So when one listens to Crespin singing in Berlioz, or the aria from Gounod's Sapho also composed for Viardotone hears singing that draws its strength, directly, from a great French style and tradition. One of the attractive characteristics of Crespin's voice is that, like Poulenc's personality, it has two distinct areas of chiaroscuro.

Crespin's lower register has an almost oboe-like quality, which makes the emergence of her wonderful soft high notes from the same instrument seem so surprising. It was this ethereal sound that Poulenc needed for Mme Lidoine. She attracted compliments from all manner of colleagues. The conductor Henry Lewis, at their first rehearsal for Carmen at the Met shouted from the orchestra pit, 'That's the sexiest lady I've ever seen!

And so it is, Crespin's beautiful phrasing never exaggerating the possibilities of slight burlesque in this coquettish song, while her diction is brilliant, and that descending scale, right down to a low A, astonishing. There was always an element of frustration about Crespin's recording career, especially for her admirers. Some might think it ungracious to carp since they are three classic sets.

The history of opera houses and their disenchantment with French singing during this period must be to blame. Some legendary recitals Where recitals are concerned, Crespin was treated much better by the record companies. Between these we get a much richer glimpse of her versatility and range. This has quite rightly taken its place now in Decca's 'Legends' series.